On another forum, I got totally pig-piled for my cheap (in my mind clever) methods. It didn't make me want to change my way of working, just made me want to keep it to myself. I'll get something started before too long here. I do feel like the Old's Cool crowd here is a bit more open minded to "innovative" methods.

There's a lot to be said for "frugal" wrenching, IMHO. I practice it myself. It appeals to the Zen student in me as it encourages a deeper understanding of the machine.

No, but I intend to start one, perhaps a bit late. Its funny, I avoided getting a Guzzi for some time, because I'd heard that parts prices were horrible. While they certainly aren't cheap, compared to my BMW they're pretty reasonable. It's been a long time ago now, but I think I paid about $350 apiece for just the pistons in my R100 engine. Aside from laziness, one of the things that has kept me from starting a build thread is that I am pretty tight with the money. On another forum, I got totally pig-piled for my cheap (in my mind clever) methods. It didn't make me want to change my way of working, just made me want to keep it to myself. I'll get something started before too long here. I do feel like the Old's Cool crowd here is a bit more open minded to "innovative" methods.

That stinks. I wish we could all have enough money to "do it right", but we don't. Improvisation and work-arounds are the only way many of us could get our projects done.
And the guys with money to "do it right", would be dead in the water if they run into a problem they can't buy their way out of!

Go ahead and start your build thread, I'll be first in line to defend your methods is some snob gets pissed off because you didn't want to spend the money to "do it right".

I just went through this procees with my Ambo. I bought the new nikasil/ nigusil cylinders/pistons etc. It was not too bad of a job and the first time I have done something like that solo. I would highly recommend doing a relpacement. Those pseudo good cylinders are going to start flaking after a few heat cycles and you risk trashing the motor. My two cents. Good luck with it. these things are a different animal and a ton of fun to ride.

Thanks for your reply. I'm delighted to hear everything you said, except about the transmission. I had always considered the BMW's transmission to be clunky and slow shifting. Maybe soon, I'll have a new appreciation for the BMW's trans. I'm just so enthused about this bike though, just can't wait to ride it!

I would suggest having Charlie Cole shim the transmission for better shifting and to make sure you don't have any other problems.